1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surgical tools. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved ferromagnetic surgical tips and method of making such surgical tips.
2. State of the Art
Surgery generally involves cutting or dissection of tissue or other materials. These applications are generally performed by cutting tissue, fusing tissue, or tissue destruction. Current electrosurgery modalities used for cutting, coagulating, desiccating, ablating, or fulgurating tissue, have undesirable side effects and drawbacks. Although recent innovations have provided ferromagnetic coated tungsten cutting instruments, such instruments have some limitations. For example, surgical tips having tungsten wire substrates have limited malleability because the tungsten substrate is very stiff. In addition, tungsten wire can be difficult to plate with other materials, requiring special plating processes and attention to quality control. Differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion between tungsten and ferromagnetic coatings may also cause cumulative stresses over time between the layers when the parts heat up and cool down. Furthermore, the stiffness of tungsten wire limits its malleability when forming customized shapes. Tungsten is also a relatively rare and expensive metal. The high cost, combined with the difficulty and cost associated with bending and plating it, make such tungsten wire heating elements comparatively expensive and difficult to use.